Trichotillomania

Kathryn Patricelli, MA

Prior to the release of the DSM-5 in 2013, Trichotillomania, also known as hair-pulling disorder, was classified as an impulse control disorder. This disorder involves the recurrent pulling (removal) of one's hair from any part of their body with the most common sites are the scalp, eyebrows, and eyelids. These behaviors are usually performed in private, are more common in women and often begin during the onset of puberty.

Many people with trichotillomania try to stop the behavior but feel unable to do so. This sense of being unable to avoid performing a particular behavior is very similar to the compulsions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While there are differences from OCD, the DSM-5 moves this disorder to the same classification family of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Spectrums.